Nomination Title: Vicks #TouchOfCare

Tell the story about this nominated campaign since 1 January 2016 (up to 650 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms.

GENESIS

Vicks, for decades has centered its communication on ‘family-care’. With the changing face of life in India and an increasing number of people living away from their traditional environments – the idea of family now goes far beyond just biological connections or sharing a sur-name. Vicks as a category leader, has therefore adopted this bold and progressive stance - above all, care is the ultimate definition of what a family is.

To propagate its message of ‘family care’ in a renewed environment, the brand had to break the shackles of a typical family with the story of a transgender mother’s (Gauri) journey to raise an orphaned girl. Acknowledging the evolving dynamics, Vicks decided to be the beacon of recalibrating the meaning ‘family’ in modern times through #TouchOfCare. The campaign’s digital video salutes the spirit of human care as being the ultimate definition of a family, bypassing societal prejudices. The common emotion that echoes those these unconventional relationships is ‘care for all’.

DEVELOPMENT

Vicks is a brand for ‘all’ – notwithstanding geographical location, gender or income status. By launching a digital film, Vicks aimed to reach out to a wide diaspora of people to exemplify that care can come to you from unknown quarters. Subsequently, our PR strategy orbited around initiating conversations that were appreciative and respectful towards unconventional relationships nurtured by care.

To achieve meaningful impact with almost no PR budget, we increased visibility by creating conversations around #TouchOfCare through Gauri’s story. The media was a strategic mix of social platforms, online portals and traditional media (radio, newspapers, TV) with strong story ideas. Vicks will launch #TouchOfCare Fund to support more real life stories of care, the film’s protagonist Gauri Sawant and educate girls.

EXECUTION

On 30th March 2017, the digital film was released on Vicks India’s YouTube & Facebook page. The 1st 24 hours were crucial as a family care brand was dealing with an extraordinary story which was never explored before

A note with details of the film was shared with relevant media & the film’s director Neeraj Ghaywan, propagated the film by posting it on social media platforms

Strategic media interviews with Gauri & the brand spokesperson were coordinated by PR to maximize exposure

RESULTS

-The film went viral within 24 hours of launch
-Within 48 hours, with no paid media support, or promoted views, PR alone generated over 4 Million views for the #TouchOfCare film. Only 13% of the impressions came from inorganic push
-Vicks was trending on Facebook on Saturday, 1st April due to extensive conversations around the campaign
-Total Impressions on Video: 116 Million+, 35.9 million views, Over 1.5 Million interactions generated across social media
-Focused media outreach: over 125 organic clips and still counting garnering 600 million impressions, Earned media value of over 3 million USD
-Major publications like Hindustan Times, Economic Times, India Today, Huffington Post, Mumbai Mirror, BuzzFeed, NBC, Outlook Business, NDTV, Aaj Tak, BBC, CNN International, New York Times, CNBC Awaaz, IBN Lokmat, Aaj Tak among others have given the film positive media coverage. And some doing multiple stories sharing them on social media platforms
-Global associations UN-AIDS-Asia Pacific, UN Women shared the campaign on Twitter
-Consumers testimonials - “Because all that a child needs is his mother’s #TouchOfCare. Thanks to Vicks for reminding us”; “The Vicks ad about a mother daughter duo will tear you up”; “One of the best ads I have seen in a long time. Beautifully done.”
-8% increase in brand recall & 23% increase in sales in a month

In bullet-list form, briefly summarize up to ten (10) of the chief features and results of this nominated PR program since the beginning of 2016 (up to 150 words).

-Vicks, for decades has centered its communication on ‘family-care’
-To propagate its message of ‘family care’, the brand broke shackles of a typical family with the story of a transgender mother’s journey to raise an orphaned girl
-The film went viral within 24 hours of launch
-Within 48 hours, with no paid media support, or promoted views, PR alone generated over 4 Million views for the #TouchOfCare film
-Trending on Facebook on Saturday, 1st April due to extensive conversations around the campaign
-116 Million+ impressions, 35.9 million views, Over 1.5 Million interactions generated across social media
-Earned media value of over 3 million USD